Daily Republican., 1887-10-22
LIONS IN a TEkRlBLE FIGHT

Early on Tuesday morning there
was fearful and exciting battle in The
jubilee Exhibition at Liverpool. Del
monico. the most plucky tanner of
oeasts In this country, has been excit.
ing The nerves OF the visitors for long
Time by trifling in cage with three
big forest lions. Five more lions OF A
different kind, but all fierce and tnll
grown, arrived from Africa Yesterday.
and were put al once into ,he big CAGE
with The three already there. They
had no training. but Delmonico went
in among them and thrilled the crowd
that filled the menagerie by an un
usually sensational performance. When
he had done Mile. Kora, his psrtue er.
went IN with the lions and took little
idos with her. This was rcnea,ed four
times during the day aud the five nd "
hons were too much stunned by tha
huge, noisy crowd about them and the
repeated visits OF he man. woman
and dog to do anything but crouch In
lbelr corners in fear.
, Their astonishment had not worn
|of. and they were still quie. wien eft
|alcne for to night by the attendants at
10 O'Clock. Shortly after midnight,
however. the menagerie was filed
with trigh,tu roaring and snaTling,
and servant sleeping On tne premises
rushed in 10 flnd The big iron cage
, rocking aud eight lions fighting ilri-
Iously. They were rolled up 1ntD a
huge dark ball, from which blood
stained iur was flying in all directions
THE huge beasts rolled over and over,
dashing madly against the sides OF the
cage and biting pieces out of each
other with ieroci,y that was sicken-
ing. All the sights organized TO rati
Ity mans iondness for fighting " would
have seemed the tamest child's play in
comparison. Afler a while il became
levicent that there were distinct sides
in the battle. and that the new arrivals
were pitted al unfair odds against the
lions who mad been in possession
The efforts OF the servan. to separate
ihem only increased their fury A,
last he rushed off for Delmonico, whu
Twas asleep near by. The tanner ar
Irived half clad, and found his lions
bleeding fearlully, but still fighting
IThe battle narrowed down 10 due
Ibetwecn the two biggest lions, which
lwerc rapidly biting each other to
Ipieces in the middle of the cage. Oc
lcasionally it became general and for a
Ilew seconds there would he a wilt
tumble among the snarling lions with
a savage crunching of teeth 10 tel
how flesh was being torn.
| The appearance OF Delmonico will
q red hot iron In his hand produced
immediate effect. All but the two
lchef combsiants stopped fighting and
Icrouched suilenly down, licking ,heil
ibloody wounds and snarling encour
lagement to the two leaders. On these
in their rage hot iron as useless, ever
i, when applied to raw flesh. They re
IsponGed TO the burning sensation only
by tearing at each other more tiercely
At last Delmonico bravely entered thu
cage, half clad as he was, and shu
himself in lie next opened the dooI
Communicating with the seconi Gags
and drove into it, Ike so many sheep
1.-THE six lions that had been looking on
Meanwhile the two other lions wer'
still fighting, although much weaker
iDelmOnico's attempts 10 separate then
|. were useless. They paid not tn
slightest attention to him, and, al
Though in their struggle they dashe'
against him, they were evidently un
conscious of his presence. Before th
. tanner could form any plan to Beparat
them the fight ended of itself. Th
big forest lion rolled over on his bac
=. and died, while the other gave tain
lroar of victory. The dead lion wa
: Terribly mangled, while the victor
; mane was gone and his body locke
as though an especially wicked harro'
: had been repeatedly dragged over il
: Blood trickled from a bundled ugl
wounds, and there is but little hop
THAT he will live.